WHAT WE DO

HLD is dedicated to providing Haiti’s rural communities with the educational tools necessary for building a brighter and more prosperous future.

Headquartered in Stratford, Connecticut, USA, Haiti Lumiere de Demain/Haiti’s Light for Tomorrow (HLD), Inc. works in partnership with Haitian public schools, the public and private sectors, and other non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to support primary and secondary education for underprivileged children living in rural and impoverished communities in Haiti.

As a not-for-profit, non-governmental organization with the goal of promoting literacy in Haiti, HLD engages in informational programs in Haiti and abroad to raise awareness of educational needs of children in Haiti.
HLD also works to encourage the participation of the public and the private sectors in the program implementation, and it supports initiatives that encourage civic responsibility and communal participation through its programs.

1. The Text Book Lending System

Ensure that all primary school students have the proper materials by setting up a textbook lending system in La Gonave.

Due to the incredible scarcity of books in the classroom in Haiti, entrusting a child with the care of textbooks is evidence of faith in that child’s worth both as a student and a valued member of the community.
This will not only raise literacy rates, one child at a time, but also it will raise children’s self esteem as well. Many of these children would otherwise be going to school without textbooks or not going to school at all. The textbooks distributed are those required by the Ministry of Education as essential to the educational need of a Haitian student. Each year Haiti Lumiere de Demain distributes between 25,000 to 40,000 textbooks to approximately 5000 students in 19 public primary schools throughout the island of La Gonave.

2. Scholarship Program

Ensure that deserving students are able to continue their education by providing merit and need based scholarships for students entering secondary school in La Gonave.

A higher level of education does not only contribute to increased levels of literacy, but to the overall betterment of society by allowing for economic development and the emergence of thoughtful future leaders.
Through the organization’s School Scholarship Program, Haiti Lumiere de Demain has begun to address the country’s problem of low secondary school enrollment.

3. Teacher Training Program

Create a Teacher Training Program that guarantees primary school teachers in Haiti are properly trained and effectively educating their students.

The Teacher Training Program, which started in the summer of 2004, has begun to address some of these teacher inadequacies. HLD provides training and academic support to help teachers become more effective instructors. These programs are offered during school vacation time in the fall and summer. The school administrators on La Gonave meet often and HLD enjoys an open and direct working relationship with the school directors.

4. Afterschool Enrichment Program

Support an afterschool enrichment program that gives students the opportunity to participate in extracurricular activities.

The organization’s goal is to provide each student with an environment that facilitates further learning beyond the hours of class. The Afterschool Enrichment Program hosts reading contests, and artistic and sports activities. Students also learn leadership skills. In addition they are challenged to think in new ways about their community and their involvement in improving the conditions there. This is intended to give the students a sense of self worth and prepare them academically and socially to become positive contributing members of their community.

5. Public Library Program and Donkey Mobile Library

Create and support the first public library program, including a Donkey Mobile Library Initative on the island of La Gonave.

In 2005, HLD created a library located in Anse-a-Galets, the largest town on the island. The library currently has approximately 4000 volumes. Realizing that the library was not accessible to all the rural inhabitants of La Gonave, HLD began a Donkey Mobile Library Program in 2008, which carries books on a donkey’s back to remote parts of the island, providing reading material to all residents on La Gonave. The popular program offers teachers, students and the community exposure to greater educational resources. This initiative has captivated the interest of teachers and students, that in turn, continues to foster a curiosity for learning. By making a broader range of educational material available, we believe that the educators are better prepared to teach and that students are more receptive to learning new information.

6. Sustainability Programs

Promote protection, responsibility and sustainability of the environment through a solar powered flashlight program and tree-planting initiative.

HLD promotes protection, responsibility and sustainability of the environment through its’ Solar Powered Flashlights for Trees Initiative. Since the island of La Gonave does not have electricity, families currently rely on kerosene lamps, which are dangerous, bad for their health and not very effective, for providing light.
Solar flashlights, which offer a clean source of light, are badly needed so that students are able to study at night. Since deforestation is such a huge problem in Haiti, it is required that the students who receive solar flashlights plant and maintain both forest and fruit trees.